Washing machine



R. S. KIRKPATRICK WASHING MACHINE Filed Sent. 50, 1925 March 6, 1928.

Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WASHING MACHINE...

Application filed SeptemberBO, 1925. Serial No. 59,469.

The object of my invention is to provide a washing machine of simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

More specifically it is the object of my 111- vention to provide a washing machine having a rotary clothes container mounted on a vertical shaft which is so constructed and arranged that the clothes may be washed, rinsed and dried while in the said container without removing the container orwithout removing the clothes until the entireoperation is completed.

A further object is to provide a washing machine which may be driven directly from an electric motor by means of a belt without the use of any other gearing mechanism.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as. hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: p

Figure 1 is a' plan view of myimproved washing machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical, central, sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. y

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4.-4.- of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1. 1

My improved washer comprises a tub member 10 supported by legs 11. Said tub 10 is provided with a lower compartment 12 and an upper compartment 13, the upper compartment being larger in diameter than the lower compartment so an annular trough 14 is provided between'the upper end of the lower compartment and the lower end of the upper compartment. Said trough 14 is provided with a pet cook 15 which communicates with the bottom of the trough 14 and also with either of the passages 16 and 17. The passage 17 communicates with the interior of the compartment 12, while the passage 16 terminates in an outwardly and downwardly extending pipe 18. By this arrangement it will be seen that when the pet cock 15 is moved to one position of its movement, water will be discharged from the trough 14 into the compartment 12, while if it is moved to another position of its movement, water will be discharged to a point outside of the tub.

The bottom ofthe compartment 12 is provided with a central recess 19 to which a hose 20 is connected, one end of the hose being provided with a hook 21 by means of which the free end of the hose may be secured over the top edge of the tub 10, andwhenso placed will prevent water from being discharged from the bottom of the compartment 12. It will be seen that if the free end of the hose 20 is disengaged from the top edge of the tub with its free end placed near a horizontal position, water will run from the tub by gravity.

The recess 19 is provided with a spider 22 in which is pivotally mounted a vertical shaft 23, the upper end being carried in a bearing member 24. Said bearing member 24 is carried by a supporting frame 25, the lower. end of which is connected to the tub member 10. Projecting upwardly from the casing 26, the lower end of which is mounted adjacent to the upper edge of the recess 19, said casing extendin upwardly to a point substantially level with the upper edge of the tub 10. The lower end of the said casing 26 is provided with a series of vertical slots 27 -w ile its upper end is provided with an enlarged portion 28 concentric with the easing 26 and provided with vertically arranged slots 29. The said casing 26 is rigidly secured to the bottom of the compartment .12 and held rigidly against rotation. The shaft 23 is l'otatively mounted therein and has its lower end provided with a propeller blade 30 located in the casing 26 and may be positioned at a point just above, or near, the upper end of the slots 27. That portion of the shaft passing throu h the enlarged portion 28 is provided wlth radial blades 31.

The casing 26 is provided with a bearing member 32 above the slots 27 and desi ned to carry the lower end of the sleeve 33 w ich is rotatively and slidably mounted on the outer surface of the casing 26. Secured to the upper end of the sleeve 33 is a clothes container 34 formed cylindrical and has perforated side members and a closed bottom member. Said bottom member is secured to the upper edge of the sleeve 33. The upper end of the container 34 is provided with a series of spokes 35 connected to a hub 36 rotatively and slidably mounted on the shaft 23. The hub 36 is provided with a set screw 37 by means of which the hub 36 may be locked to the shaft 23, so that the clothes container 34 and said shaft may rotate in unison. It is sometimes desirable, however, to remove the container from the tub, which is permitted by loosening the set screw 37 and then elevating the container upwardly until the set screw 37 is in alinement with an annular groove 38 in the upper end of the shaft 23. The screw is then caused to enter said groove, which will support the container in its elevated position so the operater may clean the interior of the compartments 12 and 13 when necessary.

The exterior surface of the lower end of the casing 26 is provided with a sleeve 39 which is also provided with a series of yertical slots 40 which may be brought into alinement with the slots 27 when the sleeve is in one of its rotative positions of movement,-or may be brought to such position that the said slots 27 may be closed. The sleeve 39 is actuated by means of an outwardly extending arm 42 to which a link 43 is pivotally connected. The outer end of the link extends into a compartment or depression 44 inside of the compartment 12. The outer end of the link 43 is pivotally connected to a crank 45 secured to the lower end of a vertical control shaft 46. Said shaft 46 is rotatively mounted in a vertical opening 47 extending upwardly through the side member of the tub 10. The upper end of the shaft 46 is provided with a handle 48. It will be seen that if a swinging movement is imparted to the handle 48, rotary movement may be imparted to the sleeve 39. The upper end of the shaft 23 is provided with a belt wheel 49 which is designed to receive a belt 50 which extends over pulleys 51 and makes operative connection with the motor 52 through the belt pulley 53.

The practical operation of my device is as follows:

Assuming that the clothes container is moved to its lower limit of movement, as shown in Figure 2, and that the set screw 37 has been locked to the shaft 23, and that the pet cock 15 is placed in a position where it communicates with the passage 17, and that the sleeve 39 is moved to its open position, then the bottom of the container 12 may be filled with water until it is about threefourths full, after which the clothes may be placed in the container 34 and the motor started, which will result in the shaft 23 being rotated and with it the container 34 and the propeller 30 and the blades 31. It will then be seen that the water will be elevated into the casing 26 by means of the propeller 30 and caused to flow upwardly into the enlarged portion 28, where it is engaged by the blades 31 and a rapid rotary movement imparted to the water in said enlarged portion. The slots 29 are of such size that a. considerable pressure will be created inside of the compartment 28 which will cause the water to be discharged through said slots and radially, and to engage the clothes within'the container. As soon as the clothes have become saturated with water, they will adjust themselves to position on the sides of the container 34 forming a hollow cylindrical mass of clothes. Sheets of water will then be delivered to the inner surface of the clothes which will be pulled through them by centrifugal force through the movement of the same, the water being discharged through the perforations of said container and delivered against the inner surface of the compartment 13, where it will be collected in the trough 14 and be returned to the chamber 12 through the passages 17. It is understood that the water is provided with the necessary amount of soap and bluing. This operation will continue until the clothes have been cleaned, which will result in the dirt and foreign matter going into solution with the water as it is passed through the clothes under pressure. After the clothes have been washed sufficiently, the pet cock 15 is moved to position where it communicates with the slot 16 and the discharge pipe 18. The sleeve 39 is also rotated to close the slots 27. This will prevent the water in the lower compartment 12 from being discharged into the container 34. Clean water may then be delivered to the interior of the casing 26 by means of a hose 54 communicatin with the bottom of the recess 19, which will then be delivered through the slots 29 in the manner before described. Said rinse water is collected in the trough 14 and delivered to the pipe 18 with the exterior of the tub. After the clothes have been thorou hly rinsed the clean water supply is cut 0% and the container allowed to rotate a few seconds, which will cause the clothes to be dried to such an extent that they may be removed from the container and immediately ironed, after which a new supply of clothes may be placed in the container 34 and the above operation repeated.

Various adjustments re ulating the flow of water are accomplishe while the drier is still in operation, so it is only necessary to stop the clothes container each time a new supply of clothes is placed therein. By this arrangement clothes may be washed, rinsed and dried in about half the time it requires with any apparatus that has so far been observed by me.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a washing machine of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, which is rapid and eflicient in its operation, and which Wlll wash clothes in a minimum amount of water, as a small amount of water may be used, if so desired. over and over.

It will further be seen that the machine is quiet in its operation, as I have elimiterior of said tub, a perforated container rotatively mounted concentrically within said upper compartment, means for delivering water from said lower compartment to the inner surface of said container, and means for rotating said container.

2. In a washing machine, a cylindrical tub having upper and lower compartments,

the upper compartment being larger than the lower compartment and arranged concentrically therewith, the lower end of said upper compartment terminating in an annular trough, means for delivering water from said trough to the lower compartment or to the exterior of said tub, a perforated container rotatively mounted within said upper compartment, the bottom of said container being formed solid, means for rotating said container, and means for delivering water from said lower compartment to the inner surface of said container as it is being rotated, the parts being so arranged that the water will be delivered to said annular trough. i

3. In a washing machine, a tub having an upper and a lower compartment, a tubular casing extending from the center of the bottom of said lower compartment upwardly into the center of said upper compartment, the bottom of said casing being provided with vertical slots, the upper end of said casing bein provided with an enlarged portion, a sha t rotated lon itudinally through said casing, a PIOPBllBl'iflfldB on the lower end of said shaft at a point near the upper end of said slots, the upper end of said shaft within the enlarged portion of said casing being provided with longitudinally extending blades to rotate in said enlarged portion, said enlarged portion of the tubular casing being provided with vertical slots,-a clothes 1 container rotatively mounted about said tubular casing and locked to said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, an annular trough,

beneath the lower and outer edge of said container, said tubbeing provided with a passa e for delivering water from said troug to the outside of said tub.

4. In a washing machine, a tub, a tubular casing extending from the center of the bottom of said tub, the bottom of said casing being rovided with vertical slots, the upper end of said casing being provided with an enlarged portion a rotativelyrmounted shaft extending longitudinally through said cam ing, a propeller blade on the lower end of said sha-ft at a point near the upper end of said slots, the upper end of said shaft within the enlarged portion of said casing being provided with longitudinally extending blades to rotate in said enlarged portion, said enlarged portion of the casing being provided with vertical slots, a clothes container rotatively mounted in said casing and locked to said shaft, and means for rotating said shaft.

'5'; In a washing machine, a' tub, a tubular casing extending from the center of the hottomof said tub, the bottom ofsaid casing being provided with vertical slots, the upper end of said casing being provided with an enlarged portion, a rotatively mounted shaft extending longitudinally through said casing, a propeller blade on the lower end of said shaft at a point near the upper end of said slots, the upper end of said shaft within the enlarged portion of said casing being provided with longitudinally extending blades to rotate in said enlarged pol:- tion, said enlarged portion of the casing being provided with vertical slots, a clothes container rotatively mounted in said casing and locked to said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a water pipe communicating with the lower end of said tubular casing, a slotted sleeve rotatively mounted on the slotted portion of said casing, and means for rotating said sleeve.

6. In a washing machine, a tub, a tubular casing extending from the center of the bottom of said tub, the bottom of said casing being provided with vertical slots, the upper end of said casing being provided with an enlarged portion, a rotativelymounted shaft extending lon itudinally through said casing, a ropeller b ade on the lower end of said sha t at a point near the upper end of said slots, the upper end of said shaft within the enlarged portion of said casing being provided with longitudinally extending-blades to rotate in said enlarged ortion, said enlarged portion of the casing ing provided with vertical slots, a clothes container rotatively mounted in said casing and locked to said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a water pipe comlar casing, a slotted sleeverotatively mounted on the slotted portion of said casing,

means. for rotating said sleeve, said means comprising an upright tubular member secured to the outer face of said tub, the lower end of said tubular member being provided with an enlarged recess communicating with the interior of said tub, a shaft rotatively mounted in said tubular member hav ing a crank on its lower end, a rod for oper- V ativel connecting said crank with said slotte sleeve, and a hand lever on the upper 1 6nd of the last said shaft.

rated 7. In a washing machine, a tub, a tubular casing extending upwardly from the center of the bottom of said tub, each end of said casing being provided with a series of openings, a perforated clothes container rotatively mounted on said tubular casing, a r0- tatively mounted shaft extending longitudinally through said tubular casing, a propeller blade on the lower end of said shaft opposite the lower openings of said casing, a perforated sleeve rotatively mounted on the lower end of said casing to cover the openings therein when in one position of its movement, a water pipe communicating with the lower end of said tubular casing, means for securing said perforated container to said shaft, and means for rotating said shaft.

8. In a washing machine, a tub, a perfocontainer arranged concentrically therein having an opening in its bottom and a downwardly extending sleeve terminating in a bearing, the bottom of said tub being provided with an upwardly extending tubular casing projecting through the opening in the bottom of said perforated container, said tubular casing being provided with a bearing member for supporting the bearing member of said perforated container and having each end provided with a series of openings, a rotatively mounted shaft extending longitudinally through said tubular casing, ahub on said shaft having a series of spokes connecting the upper end of said container, a propeller blade on the lower end of said shaft and within said casing, means for opening and closing the openings in the lower end of said casing, and a water pipe communicating with the lower end of said casing.

Des Moines, Iowa, September 23, 1925.

ROBERT S. KIRKPATRICK. 

